insurance is still available for 2 million people, and that lays the groundwork then for additional deficit reduction and economic growth steps that we can take in the new year. >> joining us now from capitol hill. south dakota republican senator john thune, a member of the budget committee. so, senator, what do you make of the president's plan? >> i'm just glad the president is engaged. you can't do big things in washington, d.c. without presidential leadership. that's what we haven't had. the fact that he is now owe table. better late than never i would argue. at least he is at the table presenting something that will give us a chance hopefully to get some bipartisan support in the senate and perhaps get something to the house that will avert what everybody agrees is a major economic disaster. but we're still waiting for the details and obviously there is a long ways to go and this is a very -- there is going to be a tough needle to thread in order to get this done. >> see, i don't understand why the democrats think that this is an economic disaster going off the cliff since really it's j